An inquest held in January 2016 heard that David Hearne had been fixing a puncture at the roadside (his bicycle was propped against a sign on the verge with a flat tyre and a puncture repair kit was found at the scene) when he suddenly “ran straight out” into the carriageway. The driver of an oncoming HGV swerved to lane two but was unable to avoid Hearne, fatally injuring him.
Assistant coroner Margaret Jones ruled out the possibility of suicide, but conceded that the reason for Hearne running into the carriageway could not be known. She recorded a narrative verdict.